Some Hearts
by sakurademonalchemist
Summary: Robin Black was a bound witch. However, as the new Mistress of Death she was able to break free to Asgard and prepare to reap her vengeance. What she didn't count on was falling for a certain green-eyed, silver-tongued God of Mischief or being hit by Time Sand before the war restarted. Can she make her way back to Loki, or will she be stuck on Earth? FEM HARRY! YOU WERE WARNED!
1. Chapter 1

Broken. That was one of the many words to describe the so called savior of the wizarding communities. And many blamed the Ministry for doing it, claiming her power had gotten too strong.

It never even _occurred_ to them that maybe she just wanted to be left alone to grieve and move on with her life.

And to make matter worse they had quite firmly bound her to a man she hated with a passion, Draco Malfoy. They claimed to be protected the Black bloodlines.

Inbreed filth.

The last time her 'friend' Hermione saw her out and about, the girl had stared. She had known her former best friend had taken the sealing hard, but this? This was far worse than she could stand to see.

Robin Potter-Black (she refused to take Draco's last name) looked and acted like a living inferi. She was practically skin and bones, and ribs could be seen under her many-times-too big shirt. Her skin was sallow and yellowed, and her brilliant red hair, which she once took such good care of while in school, was lanky and matted.

But it was her demeanor which set the tone. She was meek and subservient, often flinching if people came too close or even looked like they were about to hit her.

All of it screamed domestic abuse. About the only thing presentable about the former witch were her clothes...but that could be accredited to the fact Draco picked them and had the house elves dress her.

House elves. They had been more active of late, ever since the first sealing of Robin. In fact if one were to pay attention they would say they were quietly rebelling.

One by one, the number of bound elves were dropping like a rock. But because no one bothered to look or hell, even do a census of who owned which elf, the pure bloods were oblivious.

The pure bloods kept giving elves laundry, and thinking that they still owned more, completely unaware that they had released their servants. That if given the right signal, would leave them bereft of anyone to cook, clean or order around.

And they weren't the only ones. Werewolves, hags, Veela, centaurs...all those subjugated by the wizards were in quiet revolt against them, merely waiting for the signal to take the fight to them.

All because they sealed away the one witch of an old line who dared to treat every equally. The so called 'Master (or Mistress) of Death'.

Still didn't save her when they caught her after the battle of Hogwarts and sealed almost all of her magic away, leaving her barely a squib. They couldn't take the Hallows, those vanished within seconds of her capture, but they could take her magic.

Or so they thought. All they knew was that she was weakened greatly and her magic bound so tightly that it barely came out anymore. No one considered the fact that such a thing might eventually build up inside her and kill her explosively unless it was being drained regularly enough to keep it stable.

Had they thought of that, they might have been able to stop what was to happen a few days after she finally managed to escape Britain.

Draco had a meeting with one of the magical agencies from America and he took his 'trophy wife' with him. While she wasn't beautiful to the eye, she was still the defeater of the worst Dark Lord since Dumbledore defeated his former lover. Having her on his arm, even in her state, was enough to impress even the most idiotic of people.

However all that changed in an instant the second a piece of skyscraper fell on him and crushed him to paste.

* * *

Robin watched the death of her 'husband' dispassionately. His death freed her from one shackle, but not the rest. That would take time and more importantly a little help from her patron goddess.

Hel was a bitch to serve, but she at least agreed that the binding of her powers was _not_ acceptable for her newest avatar. Hence the meeting with the random government agency where her presence was all but demanded. It got her to a point where a little nudge from a goddess could cause Draco's death and free her from a few of the bindings...like the perimeter ward that only lifted if Draco allowed it.

Fortunately when she 'let herself go', Draco became so disgusted that he let her do whatever she wanted so long as he didn't have to look at the formerly proud Gryffindor. If she wanted to deal with werewolves and the other non-human species, then he could care less.

He didn't notice or care that bit by bit, her magic was being drained steadily.

_**I have given you the opening you asked for. Do not disappoint me.**_

**As you command, my Lady.**

Being in the service of Hel, the Norse goddess of death, wasn't nearly as bad as one would think. Robin accepted the new status as Hel's Avatar among the living, because she had accepted one simple fact years ago.

Death is a part of Life. You can't have one without the other. Because of that, the Hallows accepted her as their master and didn't curse her like the previous fools who sought to use their power.

Robin knew she had a limited amount of time to pull this off. She went into one of the abandoned apartments, her cloak hiding her from the fighters and police alike.

Taking a quick shower (her first one in months) she cut off what was left of her hair. All that was left now was short fuzz. She washed off the saffron she had placed on her skin to make it sallow. Yellow coloring washed down the drain...she felt sorry for whoever had to clean the trap out. She ditched her over-sized shirt and pants...they were bought by Narcissa in exchange for being among those spared when the Purge hit.

Never cross a Black. While Narcissa hated that Draco had to die, even she knew the boy was too much like his father to live. Besides, the boy had never acted like a true Black in his life.

She found some clothes waiting for her when she got out of the shower. Hel wanted her avatar to look presentable when she ran. She donned the long white dress and shoes meant for running without question.

She left the apartment and headed to the park, where the fighting had yet to hit. According to Hel, it was the best place to use the Tesseract to return to Asgard.

She had to time the execution perfectly, or she would be dropped off on some random planet she had never heard of...or worse, Jotenhiem.

Fortunately her phoenix form, which she had perfected before being sealed (she was now stuck as a rather pissy songbird who enjoyed forcing Draco awake before four in the bloody morning...and not once did he ever manage to hit her with a curse. Oh how Narcissa had laughed her ass off when she found the source of his cursing) could handle the ride of the bifrost.

The trick was to latch on at the last possible second to hitch a ride off Earth.

* * *

Loki gave his grip on the Tesseract a speculative glance. He could have sworn he felt some sort of bird latch on to the free spot on his end at the last second. But he didn't see anything grab on...until they reached Asgard when a phoenix of all things appeared behind him without warning.

Heimdall and Thor were very surprised. Loki wasn't, he had felt those claws all the way there while traveling via the Bifrost. Still, he did enjoy the look of absolute shock at the sight of the bird.

Suddenly Heimdall turned back to Earth, his gaze widening exponentially.

"Something has happened."

"Not an attack?" asked Thor worriedly.

"Not on your end, no. It feels as though a massive amount of magic has been removed from the Earth. I can no longer see the dragons, unicorns or any other magical creature. It's as if they vanished."

"Father must be told."

"But first we must insure your brother stays put..."

Loki rolled his eyes, and he could have sworn the phoenix who had hitched a ride was laughing at the other two.

Something told him that the next few months were going to be far more entertaining than he could have hoped.

Odin, it turned out, was not happy. Like Heimdall had sensed, all the magical creatures (particularly in Britain for some reason) had vanished the second Thor and Loki touched down in Asgard with the jewel of Odin's treasure room.

And the magicals were obviously in a state of panic. The fact that a few of said magical blood went missing as well, along with a castle, a good portion of a forest, a joke shop and the bank in Britain had yet to become news.

And watching the entire thing from where Heimdall normally stood was a phoenix, laughing at it all.

The Marauders would be so proud!

It wouldn't be a week for the full scope of the vanishing to hit the magicals, and by that time someone finally noticed that a certain girl was missing and while her husband remained paste on a sidewalk in New York.

It would take them a full month to finally realize that maybe her escape and the missing people/animals/places had something in common. And even then it wasn't until her former best friend _pointed_ that fact out for everyone.

* * *

Loki was in his room, and he wasn't allowed to leave the palace or go farther than the gardens for at least a year and a day. Normally this wouldn't be too bad, except he was bored. And this generally did one of two things.

Either got him to raid the library, again, for the thousandth time, or prank someone.

And with the mood he was in, it was more likely to be the latter which would remove said problem. Sadly Odin would most likely be upset and he would be in even more trouble than he was right now.

So he sat down and tried to find a book to entertain him for a while.

Only to get up and look for the source of that damn song bird. It wouldn't shut up!

Eventually he found it...and stared. He knew for a fact there weren't any robins or ordinary birds in Asgard. They tended to get eaten. Or fried by Thor for waking him up. Morning and Thor didn't mix well...then again neither did Loki's wake up pranks and Thor. Last time he nearly got a black eye courtesy of that oversized hammer for the ice water trick.

The bird looked back at him, amused, before flying off.

At least the singing had stopped.

Loki awoke to find himself in Hel's realm.

"**Hello Father."**

"Hel. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"**I wanted you to meet my Avatar. She's in Asgard right now and I would prefer it if Thor didn't fry her like the song birds."**

Loki looked at the figure beside his daughter. It was the phoenix who had hitched a ride at the last second. It burst into flames and became...the irritating song bird from earlier.

"Why is your avatar in Asgard? Shouldn't she be on Earth?"

"**The humans tried to seal her away. The only way to break most of her bindings was to have her go with you. Coincidentally she did do something rather amusing to the humans."**

"And what's that?"

"**She took their magical creatures away. And a castle, forest, bank, and a joke shop."**

Loki stared.

"This girl was the one responsible for the chaos in the magical communities?" he asked.

"**With a little help from me of course. She presented a convincing argument that even Odin can't refute. Just wait until you see what she does when she goes _back_."**

"Considering how bored I am, I'm all ears."

The song bird turned into a woman. She didn't look like the healthiest specimen and her features were blurred. Which was somewhat odd. All he could tell was that she had red hair and green eyes.

"_I plan to move the scheduled magic cleansing a few centuries. Instead of it recycling the magic in three hundred years, I'll reclaim it and have the magic come back in three generations...just long enough for those arrogant bastards to get my message."_

"And what message is that?"

"_Don't mess with a Black."_

"Isn't the current generation so dependent on magic that most don't even bother to do mundane tasks and neglect their normal education?" asked Loki. He could see where this was going, and he liked it.

"_Extremely. I know a family who's matriarch is so dependent on magic that she has it knit jumpers, do the dishes, laundry and summons things...and she has the voice of a damn harpy."_

Loki laughed, his voice with a bell like chime. He could grow to like this current 'Master of Death'. She had style and a sense of humor he could get behind! Not like the previous one who bored both father and daughter to tears.

"**Now for the second reason I brought you here... We need your assistance in getting these bindings off, or at least making the chain that much longer."**

Loki was all ears. As Hel described the bindings in question, his frown deepened. Apparently the wizards were so afraid of the current Avatar that the forced a perimeter spell on her, one that was set to another person. Because of her nature, Hel couldn't put one on the girl.

However since she was in Asgard, he could bind the girl to him and give her free reign. It would loosen enough of the bindings to destroy the choke hold that the wizards put her in.

Considering she just provided free entertainment in the form of some jumped up magical descendant's suffering, he was more than happy to help. Maybe she could alleviate his boredom while they were at it.

* * *

Loki was trying hard _not_ to laugh as the mystery phoenix (not so mysterious to him since he was introduced) let loose what appeared to be a water balloon on Thor...and it just so happened to have a color changing potion in it. Thor's hair was neon pink for a week. Best of all was that no one could pin it on Loki since half the time he was in his room reading. Apparently the castle that Hel relocated happened to be the Hogwarts castle, and the Ministry was still trying to find it and the forest. According to Hel, the centaurs were rather pleased with the new world she put them on.

Plus they didn't have to deal with the acromantula colony anymore, which really made them happy.

His only complaint was that the girl insisted on reading over his shoulder.

At least she didn't sing right next to his ear. Plus the look on Thor's face when he realized that yes, the bird he just fried for singing at four in the morning was in fact still alive and would just not _shut up_.

Loki gave her little treats for doing it while the idiot was hung over. She had an interestingly high pitch which just sent waves of pain in his head.

Loki rather enjoyed it for one reason. It tended to make Thor crash into things.

Plus she had a nice voice. Too bad Hel never told him the girl's name.

* * *

Hel laughed as she watched the little bouts of chaos her avatar had caused in her name. She, like Loki, enjoyed a good laugh at other's expense.

One of her favorite things to do was watch the Ministry tie itself into tangles trying to find the school before September. The loss of the Forbidden Forest didn't bother them nearly as much as losing an entire castle. No one noticed the missing joke shop, with the twins inside along with their rather bubbly assistant. Or the fact that Narcissa, Andromeda or the Longbottom family were gone completely. Hell, no one even noticed that the merfolk in the Black Lake were gone.

Then there was the chaos Robin caused in Asgard. It was good to see her father laugh like that again. He normally didn't bother with lighthearted pranks, since he had a bit of a problem with Thor's childish behavior.

However seeing said god as a female cracked them up.

At this point she couldn't wait for Loki to finally fall for her avatar's human form, break the bindings, and return to Earth to perform a ritual that most Magicals forgot happened regularly every half millennium or so. The one where magic was at it's lowest point and the rate of squibs tended to jump.

Generally it caused the fall of magical societies, like Atlantis and Camelot.


	2. Chapter 2

Loki had grown used to the bird's presence. It was now an odd sight to find him without either the phoenix or the robin on his shoulder. She (and there was little doubt the bird was female) would listen to people sing and once she heard it all the way through once, copied the music precisely. Sometimes her trilling was something they had never heard before, but was rather catchy.

Finally Loki came up with a name for her bird form. Twilight. Her feathers were all the colors of the rainbow, which on Earth was like the sun setting or rising on any given day with the multitude of colors that coalesced into a glorious banner. The girl-turned-phoenix liked her new nickname, since it was by far more flattering than anything the magical communities would have given her.

If her songs seemed a little more brighter, well, the people of Asgard weren't going to comment.

Loki sat in his corner of the library and didn't pay any note to the fact that Twilight was singing again. Her phoenix song was actually quite soothing, more than he would have believed. Unlike everyone else, he could hear her words along with the song's rhythm.

"_The dancing snowflakes are fragments of stars_

_Reaching out towards the heavens_

_I can feel my wishes as they come and go_

_Everything is now in monochrome_

_The white breath spilling softly from my lips_

_Is shaped like words I want to convey_

_It must be the warmth that's making the sky grow faintly lighter_

_Our wings are drenched in shared sorrow_

_Turning pure white as they overlap_

_And becoming a gentle courage for the future we passed to each other_

_The beating of my heart as I wait for the dawn of an unknown world_

_A new tomorrow that begins as I depart with the first rays of light_

_The dancing snowflakes are fragments of stars_

_Reaching out towards the heavens_

_I can feel my wishes as they come and go_

_Everything is now in monochrome."_

_(The song that plays right before the mecha fight in _Star Driver_.)_

Loki looked up from his book.

"Interesting song."

_'I heard it from something I saw on Earth. Malfoy never cared what I did so long as he didn't have to see me. The filth should have known better than to attempt to force himself on me with his mother nearby.'_

"I still don't understand why his own mother turned against him."

_'Blacks follow a very good rule. If someone is stronger than you and isn't a complete idiot, then become allies with them...or kill them if possible. Narcissa knew I was the head of the Black, and as a blood member of the family she was blood bound to uphold my honor. Even if it meant turning against her own son. According to her, Draco was far too much like his father to be a proper Black anyway.'_

"A pity I never got a chance to deal with this Draco. He sounds like the kind of person I would enjoy...playing...with."

Twilight's amused trill got his attention.

_'You did kill him. Hel used one of your missed staff blasts to cause a piece of skyscraper to turn him into a mess on the road. It was because of your attack that I was freed from that nightmare.'_

"And yet you won't let me see what you really look like," complained Loki.

_'I am still regaining my full strength. It takes at least three months for a human to return to proper weight after deliberately starving themselves for over a year. However, you will be the first to see what I truly look like.'_

"I look forward to that. Know any other songs?"

_'Hmm...I do have one with you specifically in mind.'_

Twilight took a breath before trilling in a rather unique beat.

"_Walking along the animal path_

_Roaring with the lions and tigers_

_Paradise lying far across a sky dyed red_

_To a youth wandering imprisoned in loneliness_

_Are weakness and hatred shapeless enemies?_

_Oh Father, I am still..._

_Learning who I am_

_As I pursue backs I no longer see_

_Of elder brothers who have gone before me_

_In the night I spend lost_

_The morning star beckons me_

_This will not end in my death_

_I long for my dream_

_My faith in you sustains my life_

_In the windswept wilderness_

_Living with the butterflies and flowers_

_Blooming together in a mirage of eternal spring_

_If my purity of spirit seems muddled_

_And my body filthy_

_Please believe in the finery within my heart_

_Oh mother, I will show no tears..._

_The vanish like..._

_The dew in the grass beneath my feet."_

(Ending to _Code Geass:Lelouch of the Rebellion._)

Loki's breath caught at the words. He could see why she immediately thought of him whenever she sang that song. It fit him far too well.

* * *

Unknown to the two, Odin could hear the words as well as Loki could. He knew very well the girl was the new Mistress of Death, Hel's Avatar in the mortal realm.

Under normal circumstances he would have kicked her out and onto the bifrost when he found out what she was. However a few things stayed his hand.

Her relationship with Loki, while odd, did work wonders for his temperament. He had yet to slip back into familiar patterns of hidden resentment towards his family. Her singing soothed his spirit in ways Odin hadn't thought possible.

She had yet to do anything to draw attention to herself, aside from acting as the resident song bird, to Thor's annoyance. However only those who suffered from frequent hangovers from overindulging in their drink hated her singing.

She was the unwanted child. Her blood kin wanted nothing to do with her heritage, her gift. Her only allies abandoned her once the task they forced upon her was done. The only ones she could trust were those who needed a champion. The girl had saved their miserable race and they had betrayed her when all she wanted was to be left in peace.

The girl known as Robin Black had come to Asgard in search of sanctuary and freedom from bindings unjustly placed on her. The fact that the only way to break nearly all of them was through a union with someone who possessed a magical core to either rival or eclipsed her own was never told to her.

He could see what Hel's plan was for the girl. In order for Robin to become what she was meant to be, she had to be freed. And since Hel wasn't a cruel goddess, she sent her avatar to Loki, the only one she could be reasonably assured would never betray the girl and could possibly come to love her.

* * *

Twilight was curious as to why Odin wanted her to sing for him. Still, she had nothing against the All-Father, so she sang her heart out.

It wasn't until she went retrieve her favorite apple that she nearly had a heart attack.

"I know what you are child. So long as you never show reason to throw you out, you may walk amongst us freely," he told her quietly. With all the clapping and the fact she was partially obscuring Odin, no one was aware he had said anything at all.

Still, with his permission, now she had few reasons not to show Loki what she truly looked like. She had been in bird form for nearly three long months.

Her hair had long since grown back to past her neck, which meant she needed to take a brush through it. She had no idea what the state of the dress she had been given was, or how clean she would be once she returned to being human.

If there was one thing she wanted, it was to be presentable to Loki when she showed him the truth.

* * *

Hel's voice led her to a room which no one used that had a bath. The wing was all but empty, and very few servants ever came that far in. today, it was completely barren of life.

Once she transformed, she heated up the water as hot as she could handle it, and disrobed. The first thing she did was wash her hair thoroughly. It had once been her mark of pride, to have long flowing crimson hair that was the color of flames. After being forced to be Draco's 'wife', she had allowed it to become as dirty as it had been while she lived with her 'Aunt'.

As far as she was concerned, she was never Draco's wife. She had never been asked for her agreement to the terms, and she had never given it. As such the marriage was a bigger farce than the Ministry's idea of equality for muggleborns.

Once she did that, she scrubbed her skin until it was bright pink, a thin cake of dirt coming off. While she had bathed in the waterfalls, it didn't clean her as well as soap and a good hard scrub could. It just took the edge off.

After insuring she was clean from tip to toe, she reached for a brush and attacked her hair with a fervor. Soon the tangled mess became like silk in her hands.

She looked for some clothes, only to discover, once again Hel had provided for her. This time her dress was something like the women she had seen around Asgard wear. Her sandals were something Sif would wear on her days off. The belt was a simple embroidered piece of leather.

All in all she looked like she belonged in Asgard and wouldn't draw suspicion on first glance, but not so much that it wasn't obvious she had power and knew how to use it properly. She wore that like Loki did his transformation ability.

Around her shoulders was the cloak that had been left to her by her father's family. The clasp had the Resurrection stone inside the traditional symbol for the Master of Death, a circle with a triangle and a thin line from the top of the triangle to the bottom. Loki already knew who she was, so there was no real reason to hide it from him.

In her hand was a staff, the full sized form of the Elder Wand. It reached just to her head and had a bit of a point at the top.

She debated whether to put her hair in a simple ponytail, but decided against it. It had been so long since her hair had fallen loosely around her neck that she wanted to savor it.

Now that she was properly clean and dressed, she transformed into her phoenix form and noted that the feathers were brighter than they had been in a long time. She flew off to find Loki.

* * *

Loki was in his room. And because of something the Warrior's Three had said about the fact he preferred a bird's company to others had annoyed him greatly, his wing was practically empty of life. Not even the servants wanted to deal with him at the moment.

Twilight appeared beside him, and he noted immediately that her feathers were much, much cleaner than usual. Not to mention smoother around the red areas.

"Did you take a bath or did someone finally invent a brush for you to use while looking like a bird?" he asked snarkily.

_'Keep acting that way and I will make you wait to see what I look like as a human,'_ she replied with cheek.

Loki sat up.

"So you finally worked up the nerve to show me?"

_'Actually Odin finally saw fit to inform me I was free to walk around as I please, so long as I don't do anything you would do to piss everyone off,'_ she clarified.

"So that's why he asked you to sing for him."

_'Do you want to see my real form or not?'_

"I've waited for three months. Let's see it then."

Twilight had no doubt he wanted to know if she was disfigured or not so he could mock her. He was in for a rude shock.

She shifted back into human form...and enjoyed his look of absolute shock at her appearance. She didn't look disfigured at all. A bit thin, but like she had told him before she had been recovering from a forced fast in order to keep her 'husband' from considering touching her.

He reached up to touch her crimson red hair in disbelief.

"I don't understand. If you looked this beautiful then why did you feel the need to hide?"

"And draw attention from Odin, or worse Thor? No thank you. I just wanted to be sure I was allowed to walk around before anyone knew what I really was."

"Considering the fact you are Hel's Avatar, that was probably a wise move. Well then, my Lady, would you do me the honor of one upping my brother when he brings Jane here?"

"It would be my pleasure, Loki," said Robin grinning. She liked Loki, if for no other reason than he had such amusing ideas.

Thor had left earlier that morning to locate Jane Foster and bring her to Asgard in hoped that Odin would approve of her. He knew Odin liked the woman already for getting Thor's head out of his ass, but it was a formality more than anything.

* * *

Robin hid under her cloak while Thor came to the throne room with Jane holding onto the horse for dear life. She was doing very well for someone who had never ridden a horse before.

Robin was waiting for Thor to introduce Jane to Odin. Once she had been given clearance to come to Asgard as she wished, Robin appeared beside Loki's side.

Loki was enjoying the look of shock and disbelief from the Warrior's Three and Thor. In a battle of appearance and looks, Robin beat Jane with ease.

Jane was a modern woman who lived on mass produced junk food and fried fats. Even the vegetables and fruits she ate had dressing on it. Her clothes were clearly given to her by one of the maids to appear presentable in Asgard and she wore it well it enough, but it was clear she wasn't used to them.

Robin was a maiden who wore clothes that fit, and she wore them with pride. Her hair was smooth like silk that ran down her neck onto her back in waves. Her regal look combined with little to no fat and a good amount of real muscle made her look like a fighter worthy of Sif's standards. She wore her hair in an elegant braid (Loki made her swear not to mention he was the one who pinned it up) that went around her head. Her emerald green eyes held a commanding presence that Jane's simply didn't. The silver cloak around her neck fitting with the ruby red stone gave her a mysterious look with magic backing her every move.

All in all, Robin was an Empress to Jane's Scholar. There was simply no comparison.

Loki watched with barely hidden glee as Robin swiftly turned into Twilight and sang a tune of welcome to Jane Foster. She even permitted the mortal woman to pet her regal plumage, which was something even Thor wasn't allowed to do. A quick glare to the demi-god was all that was required to keep his hands off.

During the party, Robin stayed near either Loki or Jane. The woman was relieved to see a fellow human there to chat with, and Robin showed real interest in her research. Loki looked positively giddy for having showing up his brother in a way even Odin couldn't fault him for.

The fact was that even Thor couldn't complain, since Twilight had never shown her human form until now, and she had the good grace to at least wait until Jane had been granted permission into Asgard to draw attention away from the obviously nervous woman. The fact Jane didn't hold it against Robin for taking everyone's eyes off her and the rather expensive clothes that she had never worn before and barely suited also meant Thor couldn't take it out on his brother. Not that he would.

There was also the fact that Jane was out of her league with the Asgard people, and the formerly British magus was a sight for sore eyes. At least with Robin she could hold her own and have an intelligent conversation with someone who didn't find her research 'cute' or 'quaint'.


	3. Chapter 3

Robin soon became a regular sight around Asgard, sometimes hanging off of Loki. It was clear to anyone who saw the two that the god of Mischief was falling for the woman, hard. Robin clearly didn't object to his presence either.

Four months into her arrival in Asgard, Loki finally worked up the nerve to kiss her. Hel had given him a great deal of information about her avatar, so he knew that she was completely untouched. She had never been on a date, let alone been kissed before. Even after the false wedding with a man she didn't love, he had never touched her or taken her to his bed. His mother insured of that by casting a nasty hex at him behind his back that made certain he would never feel anything for his former rival.

Robin's blush made the entire thing worth it. For Odin it meant that it was only a matter of time before Loki fell head over heels with the magus and made her his wife. Days became weeks, weeks became months, until finally Loki realized his full feelings for Hel's Avatar.

A full year after Robin's arrival in Asgard, Loki asked her to be his wife. They were married a month later.

* * *

It had been over a year since Robin Potter-Black went missing and her 'husband' became a nameless paste on the sidewalk. While some believed she had remarried and had chosen to live a quiet life outside Britain, those who knew her well before the betrayal knew that the disappearance of all magical creatures (including goblins, who had left a large amount of traps for the magical world if they wanted their precious gold in the tunnels) and the missing magical bloodlines meant only one inescapable fact.

This was the calm before the storm. A storm which would encompass the magical communities and rock it to the core. Some historical scholars believed that her vanishing and the disappearance of the creatures meant that a natural phenomena that happened every time a magical society rose to the peak of it's power was about to occur within a few years. This occurrence was considered the true reason for the downfall of Atlantis, Camelot and many other magically driven societies.

It was called many things. The Purge. The Renewal. The Cleansing. All pointed to one fact.

Whenever this phenomena happened, magic levels dropped to almost nonexistent levels and entire generations were wiped out in the span of a few short years. The fact was that the Purge had never happened since the Dark Ages, when muggles held the witch hunts and had jumped ahead in terms of advancement.

They were due for the event, and nothing would stop it. The fact all the magical creatures, which were often used for wands, spoke that it would happen soon.

* * *

Robin and Loki set foot on Earth for the first time in two years. A lot had happened during that short time. Robin had completely removed all the bindings placed on her by the Ministry. She was now a proud magus, married to a god who was magically powerful in his own right and had no use for her powers.

(The fact that the twins and what few people she even considered family approved of him was icing on the cake.)

Loki had changed a bit in two short years, and it had surprised those who had known him for centuries.

He no longer wanted to destroy Earth to piss off Thor. If his Robin wanted to do so, then he would assist her without question since she had more reason to hate humans than he did. While he was relatively calmer and more likely to be reasoned with, he had lost none of his cruelty. It was merely tempered by Robin's presence. The fact was that Robin had a vindictive streak to match his own.

This was going to be the week they watched all the chaos and anarchy occur from moving the magical Purge a few centuries ahead of schedule, with many blessings.

The Purge would drain all the pure bloods on Earth of their magic. The more inbred they were, the faster the drain. The muggleborns would lose their magic by the age of twenty. By that time they would assume that their magic had been the result of 'poltergeisting', a phenomena in which their mind caused the entire thing to happen.

Wards would come crumbling down like cheap paper walls, revealing the magical society to the suspicious and unforgiving muggle world. Many people would be in for a rude awakening as they found that magic would no longer hide them from the muggles, and that they would be unable to erase their presence. Magical artifacts would be left alone, but would wear down naturally. Entire libraries of spells would vanish without a trace thanks to the assistance of the house elf army Robin now possessed.

Once the magicals and the muggles were on equal footing once again, and the presence of the hidden societies was accepted she would return Hogwarts and the forest. It would be full of all the things a fledgling magical society would need.

Very few people would be spared from this purge. Of those spared, most would be taken from Earth personally by Robin and Loki.

That was the entire reason they had come a few days before the Purge was to begin.

They needed to rescue the few worth saving.

* * *

Minerva McGonagall took one look at her former student, who she had failed when she needed her the most. Her new husband radiated power, which broke the bindings that had been placed. She looked at them resigned and said "I suppose you are here to take your revenge for failing to save you."

"Now why would you assume that Professor?" asked Robin curious.

"I have blamed myself for not protecting you when you needed it most. I trusted that damn man against my better judgment about your placement with those things. I failed to warn you about him paying off the two who claimed to be your friends. But most of all I failed to keep those confounded Ministry thugs from binding you to that foul boy. I'll accept whatever punishment you deem fit. I know I'll never forgive myself for letting you down," said McGonagall.

Robin's husband grinned wildly.

"I can see why you insisted we come to her first. I like her."

"She was the first person who came to mind. Professor, I never once blamed you. Among the teachers at that school, you were my favorite by far. You never treated me like a hero and you were always strict but fair. When they grabbed me at the final battle, you were among the scant few who even tried to get to me in order to stop them from placing the bindings. I saw you crying your heart out at that sham of a wedding."

"Why are you here? When they find out you're back..." McGonagall said worriedly. She didn't care for herself, but for a student she had failed so miserably.

"I'm here to offer you a second chance. I am going to cleanse the magic of this world...and I wanted you to be the first person spared from the shock of losing your magic. Very few people are going to be saved from that event."

McGonagall put down her glass of hard scotch. Her student still cared about her, even after everything that had happened to her. She was being given a second chance for redemption.

"What do I need to do?"

"Just pack whatever you need. Anyone with magic blood will be drained if they step foot on this world for the next few generations. The magical communities are going to be laid bare to the muggles by the time the Cleansing is over with.

McGonagall packed everything she owned by hand. A few things Loki poked at with curiosity, but she didn't tell him to leave them be. Once she was done, the cottage was relatively empty aside from the furniture. Robin took her to a small area and sent her via the bifrost to the world where Hel had left Hogwarts and the magical creatures. Andromeda, Teddy, Narcissa and the others had taken refuge in the school and left to themselves for the most part.

The centaurs did bring food for the people in the castle, but aside from that they didn't interact much.

* * *

Hermione was the second person they visited. Five minutes of being in her presence, and Robin obliviated her friend in disgust. The girl had become completely brainwashed by the magical world and no longer kept up with her muggle heritage. Loki was completely disgusted with the girl.

* * *

Neville Longbottom was with four of the people Robin wanted to give a second chance. They were among those who had protested the most about her bindings and the fake marriage.

Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, Luna Lovegood and Daphne Greengrass were all visiting Neville after hearing the news that McGonagall had gone missing.

Once they got over the surprise of Robin's return and her new husband, they quickly agreed to be relocated. They had seen the state of the magical world, and knew it needed a shaking up. Since Robin got along with what was left of their families, they were moved as well.

The number of people spared was a mere drop in the number of those who would be shaken.

Flitwick, Sprout, Madam Pomphrey and some of their colleagues were taken from Earth. The old castle, which had been empty for many months, was quickly filling up.

Quite a number of squibs and muggleborns, who had never believed in the Ministry, Dumbledore or Voldemort were removed from Earth. Nearly a thousand people were removed, they would become the basis of the new magical world. All Robin had told them was that she freed them from oppression with one main rule.

Don't let the bloodlines become as strong as it was on Earth. If she found them inbreeding she would exile them back to Earth in a heartbeat to lose their magic.

* * *

One month after Robin's return, the Ministry finally tracked her down. Rumors of her appearance had sent the Aurors into a tizzy. They had standing orders to capture her at any cost. If they couldn't do that, they were to kill her.

They ended up finding her in Hogsmeade with man who could have been her brother...or her husband. They had matching bands on their right hands. A pair of snake rings with different stones. Red for Robin, green for the man.

Robin was sipping her tea calmly while they were surrounded. The man was just as unconcerned about as she was. A long piece of wood was next to her. The cloak and stone were around her neck.

"Robin Potter-Black ne Malfoy. Under the authority of Minister Rufus Scrimgour, you are under the arrest for the murder of your husband and the disappearances of several prominent pure blood families. Come quietly and you won't be beaten too badly," sneered one of the aurors. A Slytherin if she wasn't mistaken.

"What do you think dear?" asked Robin.

"If these are the best that Ministry can do, I can see why you hate them."

"Pathetic inbred scum," sneered Robin.

"Shall we?" asked Loki.

"Indeed."

Robin stood up from her table, with Loki right behind her.

She looked at the assembled aurors with a sneer on her face.

"Inbred swine of the magical communities. I am here to inform you that the reign of magic has ended. It is time for the Renewal of Power. Your abuse of your gifts has caused the gods to decree that the Cleansing of the Magical Blood shall occur ahead of schedule. Since I'm not a complete bitch, a few have been selected to carry on the gift on a completely new world to be returned once the Purge has run it's course. Consider this my payment for the way you have tried to use me like a puppet. Now my love, shall we get going?"

"Indeed my darling Robin. I do believe our little vacation to your home was most enlightening, but I would like a crack at those books you liberated from those fools," smirked Loki. He was enjoying this way too much.

Robin took a light bow, grabbed her staff, and slammed it on the ground.

The quake from the strike caused the aurors to lose their footing. By the time they got back up, the two were gone.

They attempted to apparate, only to discover that once they reached their offices, they were unable to do so again.

The Purge had begun. For every spell witches and wizards cast, they would never be able to do so again. Nothing they did would bring back that feeling.

Robin and Loki enjoyed the chaos they had started in Diagon. They were both having an ice cream in front of the only shop that sold it.

When word got out that Robin, the witch that started the decline of magic, could be found in Diagon, the Aurors actually planned their response before they confronted her. One came armed with something that could rewrite history.

In the hopes of killing her through what the muggleborns called a paradox, one of the Aurors, who had been a former Unspeakable, came armed with what little Time Sand they could retrieve from the cabinet that Robin's group destroyed in fifth year.

"Dark Lady Robin Black, you are charged with destroying several prominent lines and attempting to steal the magic of the entire European continent. How do you plead?" said Dean, one of the few people she recognized.

"My my, they do think highly of themselves, don't they Robin? She didn't reclaim just _your_ magic, little wizard. She reclaimed _all_ the magic in the world. And by this time tomorrow, the entire magical race will know it was your fault that this happened. Your pure blood mania has caused the downfall of an era," said Loki smugly.

Dean flinched at his gaze. Even wizards could recognize a god.

"Frankly I'm wondering why they're even here. Any spell they cast will never be used again by their paltry wands. For each spell cast, your magic will be drained and never refilled by your core again. So why exactly aren't you lot making the most of what is left of your spell casting?" asked Robin amused.

The former Unspeakable waited for her to drop her guard. Time Sand, when outside a time turner, was wildly erratic. He had only one shot at her, and he had to make it count. No matter how this ended, he knew that going up against a god was going to cost him his life.

Robin smirked at them, completely unfazed by their paltry threats. Hanging around Loki had done wonders to her personality. Right as she was about to give her own witty retort to their shallow boasting, the one man who hadn't said a word struck. He threw golden sand at her, and her senses screamed to get out of the way. She pushed Loki away from the sand, but it still struck her directly. In a flash of light she vanished, and Loki turned his angry gaze at them.

None of them would return alive to tell what had happened. And Loki was one of the greatest sorcerers of Asgard.

He was about to start a killing rampage when he was stopped by Hel.

"_**You need not concern yourself, Father. Your lover is awaiting you on Asgard as we speak."**_

"_How? What was that golden colored sand she was struck with?"_

"_**Time Sand. She was sent several years into the past, at least three whole years before your attack on the city with the Chitauri."**_

"_How is she alive? Time travel is frowned upon because you can erase yourself."_

"_**Unless you know that little quirk and avoid it. Her bond with you is what saved her. She is no longer the person she used to be, and the physical changes from marrying a god have affected her enough that she **_**can**_ **be in two places at once. If you don't believe me, look up the name Twilight Enchantress. She has opted to be part of the same group you fought."**_

Loki soothed his anger enough to look up the name, and sure enough there was his wife. Robin looked annoyed, but definitely happier than before.

Loki decided he had enough fun on Earth. He had to see his Robin.

* * *

Robin blinked. Whatever that was, it was clearly a magical artifact. In fact...it almost looked like the sand from the time turners.

_**'It is time sand. That...wizard...hit you with time sand from the cabinet you destroyed during that disastrous mission.'**_

"Just great. What year is it?"

_**'Look it up yourself.'**_

Robin found a newspaper and swore. The latest headlines was that Tony Stark had been found after being captured. And that was nearly four or five years ago.

"Bloody hell... Wait, does this mean the bindings are back?"

_**'No. Your body began to change into an Asgardian the moment you lay with my Father. The power it would take the bind a god has long since been lost, unless you want them back. In fact, due to your animal form, the All-Father has seen fit to add you to the ranks of the gods. Your name is Twilight, the Goddess of Rebirth.'**_

"Huh... didn't know I got an actual title. So what now?"

"_**Well, you could always wait a few years and meet up with Loki again. Or...you could save that godfather of yours by moving him early."**_

"No, not at the moment. That planet is a barren wasteland in this time, and last I checked he was in the Bahamas. He deserves his vacation. Besides, moving him would involve the All-Father too early, and I don't want to explain to him who I am while my younger human self fights in a war. However...there is an alternative."

_**'What do you have in mind, my Avatar?'**_

"A chance to test my abilities...and surprise Loki at the same time. He kept complaining about the green one, did he not? Why not see how good I've gotten since becoming a god by testing my strength during the same battle that earned my freedom?"

_**'...To do that you'll need to get to the city...and avoid the men that are trying to sneak up on you.'**_

"What?" said Robin, whirling around. Apparently she forgot talking to yourself in public was a bad sign. She smirked.

With a loud cry, she jumped with a flip, avoiding the men who came to take her to an asylum. Before she even landed, she transformed into her proper form.

A beautiful phoenix with the color of the setting sun appeared and flew off.

The first man looked to his friend.

"Say nothing and go get drunk?" he suggested.

"Agreed."


	4. Chapter 4

_Two years since being hit by the time sand..._

Robin was enjoying her vacation. While Asgard was fun, it wasn't Earth. Since she had heard about Tony Stark, she opted to become an intern to avoid the magicals. While Tony flirted shamelessly with her, he never once touched her or pushed it too far. He would never hit on a married woman.

He found her fascinating, particularly when she told him about magic. More so when she mentioned someone who knew more about magical pranks than even she did.

Sirius had been shocked when she had appeared in Grimmauld place before the Order was fully functioning again. But he had quickly agreed to a simple homuculus to take his place which he could speak through so that history wasn't changed too much.

Remus had to be told what was really going on so he wouldn't blow her cover, but he was just as eager to meet Loki as Sirius was. Finding out that this time, she intended to save them was a bit of a surprise.

Still, Sirius got along with Tony Stark like a building on fire. The two debated pranks for hours, and Tony didn't mind showing Sirius how to work technology. Pepper seem to like him too, since he kept Tony out of trouble.

Sirius once remarked it was like talking to a smarter, more annoying version of James.

In short Robin felt completely at ease with them.

* * *

Robin noted with interest the odd crash in a small town in New Mexico that she recognized immediately as when Thor came to Earth to learn humility. She mentioned it to Tony and used two weeks of her built up vacation time to go see it.

He waved her off, plotting with an amused Sirius about some new ideas in which they could combine magic and technology. It had taken Tony two months to learn how to overcome the issue of magic overloading the sensitive computers. And he had been beyond pleased when that opened up a whole slew of people to sell things to...it more than made up for the cash he lost dropping out of the arms market a few years back.

His stocks reflected the sudden influx and his board was more than pleased by this.

* * *

"Tony, do you have a newspaper I could borrow?" asked Robin.

Tony Stark took most of what Robin did in stride. The wedding band on her right hand and the young toddler she occasionally brought with her was enough to keep him from doing more than mildly flirt with her. Little Hermes was a handful, and she often dumped him on Sirius in the hopes that her godfather would corrupt him with pranks.

Her husband, who had a job that made it impossible to contact him, was never around but she didn't hold it against him.

All she would say was the man was rampant prankster that Sirius would get along famously with...and that he hadn't known she was pregnant when she got hit by time sand.

Tony, who made a snide comment about papers being outdated, tosses her one of his spare tablets. It doesn't have an critical information on it, but he would still make a smart remark when he found out what she needed it for.

It was Jarvis who informs Tony that she had needed a paper to deal with a rather annoying spider...and that the tablet was now ruined.

When asked by Tony what she had to say for herself, her response had Sirius and Remus holding back a laugh.

"Well at least I know for a fact the spider didn't know what hit it," she said amused.

It was Pepper who brought Tony's mind back to what he was doing, which was working on purchasing enough land in New York for his tower, and later making it magic proof.

* * *

Robin was almost about to leave the coffee shop when he showed up. Director Fury of SHIELD.

He had been harassing Tony a lot lately, even though she knew for a fact that Stark was suffering from a severe case of palladium poisoning. She was one of the rare few who knew about that, and only because she stumbled onto the fact by accident.

She was currently trying to find something in her potions stock to at least give Tony more time to find a viable replacement for palladium.

Still, she calmly sat down and ordered another coffee.

"I can only assume you know why I'm here."

"Either to get me to convince Tony to work for you...or to hire me yourself," she said, sipping her espresso.

"The second."

"You are aware I have a toddler who might take the fact his mother is gone a lot very badly, correct?"

"I'm also aware that you have somehow found Sirius Black and given him sanctuary. Work for me, and we can clear his record in the muggle world," said Fury.

"Mundane. Only those idiots in Europe use the world muggle," said Robin with an icy tone. She hated that world, and anything that reminded her of it.

The two chatted for a bit, before she offered a compromise.

She was well aware of the Avengers Initiative, considering she came from the future where it had finally taken off when they stopped Loki. She had never paid the normal news much notice, mostly because of the war going on and later because she was too busy. That was most likely the only reason she hadn't noticed the addition of the Enchantress before.

So, in exchange for helping her clear Sirius so he could walk without setting off alarms by the Americans and other countries (outside Britain anyway), she would work on a case-by-case basis as a civilian contractor.

* * *

"_Agent Twilight, what is your status?"_

Robin rolled her eyes. Ever since she agreed to join their little group, they had saddled her with a very annoying codename based on her animagus form.

Twilight Enchantress, while fitting, was still a rather odd codename.

At least she got to meet interesting people like Stephen Strange, who was surprisingly well informed about the Purge she would later initiate.

Even though he was considered the Sorcerer Supreme, because he had gained his powers rather than born with them, he was immune to the Purge. Certain muggleborns, those with the Mutant gene (inactive or not) were also immune because of that genetic abnormality. Those with creature inheritances, at least fifth generation, also got a pass on the Purge.

According to Dr. Strange, this was the Earth's way of insuring that while the magic was reclaimed, it wasn't entirely lost.

"This is Twilight. I'm on my way to speak to Charles Xavier."

"_Remember, he's a mind reader,"_ Fury said needlessly. She had been the one picked to speak to Xavier about sending some of his 'X-Men' their way in case of emergencies. Mostly because Loki had rebuilt the Occulmency shields Snape had so callously shredded to pieces.

"I know that Nicky, why else would you send me to talk to him?" said Robin snarkily. Since this was mostly a peaceful mission she had brought her son Hermes with her. He wasn't scared of mutants like most children...then again because of his status as demi-god, he was able to be around Remus during the full moon without being bitten.

She walked up to the gate, her son holding her hand and looking around curiously. Pushing the intercom, she explained about her appointment and was buzzed in. So far, so good.

"Welcome to the Xavier Institute of Gifted Youngsters," said Xavier. He wheeled into his desk.

"Hello Professor My name is Robin Black and this is my son Hermes. I hope we didn't catch you off guard," she said pleasantly.

"Somehow I get the feeling you aren't here to enroll your son," said Xavier.

"Hermes is magical, not mutant. I am here on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D, who would like to extend an invitation for your team. Because of the unique nature of mutant powers, and the fact that they plan to work alongside others such as yourself with extraordinary talents, I can assure you that none of your people will feel out of ease," said Robin.

"You don't fear mutants?"

"Professor Xavier, if I can stand to be around a rather tame werewolf during the full moon, I can handle a mutant. Besides, you're not as alone as you believe when it comes to extraordinary powers. I for one, can speak to snakes as if it were English," said Robin bluntly.

"And shield your mind," he said dryly.

Robin lowered her shields just enough for him to see she was telling the truth, but still enough to cover some of the secrets she was privy to.

"Do I have your word that this...SHIELD will not exploit my team?" asked Xavier.

"Professor Xavier, the organization happens to keep tabs on people such as yourself, yet they chose not to interfere in your efforts to protect those with the gene. They have even gone out of their way to protect someone like Dr. Banner, who has a serious issue with anger due to a lab accident and becomes a juggernaut incapable of any mortal harm known as the Hulk. If they can find a way to work with him, then I believe you can trust them to work with your team and not try to use them."

"May I have some time to think on this?"

"Take all the time you need. I assume you can read which hotel I will be staying at."

"Indeed."

Two days later Robin returned home with good news for Fury. The X-Men were willing to work with them, to an extent. Seeing how they treated Banner as human, despite his alter ego, had been the key factor in Xavier's decision. So had the fact that they would not be asked to kill anyone.

Plus the fact that Hermes had played with the younger mutants and not been scared by their powers (they had mistakenly assumed he was like them) had also helped greatly.

In fact Robin now had another set of people who could babysit her son. He was a little angel...until he grew comfortable around you, then then turned into an imp, as Stark could attest.

* * *

"So let me get this straight... Mutants are real?" said Sirius in disbelief.

Robin blinked. She knew pure bloods were behind the times, but this was absolutely ridiculous.

"Sirius, the mutant gene has been documents for years now. They call it the X-gene. The problem is that the mundane's view on mutants is pretty damn similar to how magicals view werewolves."

Remus, who heard that comment, winced.

"In fact, I think they might be able to help you calm down Moony Remus," said Robin.

"How so?"

"They have telepaths in their group. Strong ones that can stop you from hurting others. And I've tested a sample of your werewolf venom on the X-gene... the mutant genome completely overrides any transformation by the werewolf. They're immune," said Robin.

Remus looked speculatively about that, then decided to see if he could time his arrival on the new Helicarrier so he could run into one of the mind readers.

They were sending Jean Gray, Scott Summers and Aurora Monroe to test the waters later that week. If things went well the mutants might make a very strong ally.

* * *

"Momma, can you sing me to sleep?" asked Hermes. Robin had to go on another mission later, but she always took time to be with her son.

"Bird or human?"

"Human, momma," said Hermes after a bit.

She cleared her throat and began to sing, just for him. Hermes loved her voice.

"_I've never been the kind that you'd call lucky_

_Always stumbling around in circles_

_But I must have stumbled into something_

_Look at me, am I really alone with you?_

_I wake up feeling like my life's worth living_

_Can't recall when I last felt that way_

_Guess it must be all this love you're giving_

_Never knew, never knew it could be like this_

_But I guess_

_Some hearts they just get all the right breaks_

_Some hearts have the stars on their side_

_Some hearts they just have it so easy_

_Some hearts just get lucky sometimes_

_Some hearts just get lucky, lucky sometimes_

_Now who'd have thought someone like you could love me_

_You're the last thing my heart expected_

_Who'd have ever thought I'd ever find somebody_

_Someone who, someone who'd _

_Makes me feel like this_

_Well I guess_

_Some hearts they just get all the right breaks_

_Some hearts have the stars on their side_

_Some hearts they just have it so easy_

_Some hearts just get lucky sometimes_

_Some hearts just get lucky, lucky sometimes_

_Even hearts like mine_

_Get lucky, lucky sometimes_

_Even hearts like mine_

_Oh..._

_Some hearts they just get all the right breaks_

_Some hearts have the stars on their side_

_Some hearts they just have it so easy_

_Some hearts just get lucky sometimes_

_Some hearts just get lucky, lucky sometimes_

_Some hearts they just get all the right breaks_

_Some hearts have the stars on their side_

_Some hearts they just have it so easy_

_Some hearts just get lucky sometimes_

_Some hearts just get lucky_

_Sometimes_

_Some hearts just get lucky sometimes."_

(The song that inspired the title, _Some Hearts _by Carrie Underwood.)

Hermes was sound asleep by the last chorus. Robin always said that the song suited her relationship with his father, who had no idea he existed...not yet anyway. He couldn't wait until he could meet his dad...having heard some of the pranks his mother played with the man always gave him a laugh.

(Sirius for one couldn't believe his goddaughter had been lucky enough to hook _the_ Loki that the Marauders damn near worshiped as a husband.)

Robin brushed a stray hair from her son's head. He had their eyes, and his father's natural tendency for straight hair. Hers had always been a bird's nest till she was allowed to grow it out.

Unlike Loki, Hermes had the natural talent towards ice magic, and he picked up Norse runes as fast as he did English letters. He had a natural ability towards languages, which was good because she had caught Romanoff teaching Hermes Latin, among others.

He could twist anyone around his finger to get what he wanted...clearly he also got Loki's silver tongue, the charmer.

Robin stared at the stars, a few tears rolling down her face. It had been nearly three years since the time sand dumped her in the past, and their son had aged rapidly thanks in part to the effects of time sand when she hadn't known she was pregnant. He looked six when he should have been at least two. It had slowed down, but it still worried her.

She missed Loki, and his acid wit. The band on her ring finger was a cold stark reminder of the fact that she hadn't had anyone to share the little things with for three years now.

She couldn't wait for the timeline to catch up so she could see him again.


	5. Chapter 5

Robin was working in the newly finished Stark Tower when Tony returned. Thanks to her status as the only female assistant to Tony _(Pepper quickly got upgraded to girlfriend status after the mess with Justin Hammer and the Stark Expo)_ and the fact Romanoff had finally left _(having her cover blown meant she couldn't act as a go between for Fury, so they left that job to Robin) _meant she was the only other thing living on the top floor, aside from her son. The time sand seemed to finally wear off, leaving Hermes to age at a normal rate for a seven year old.

Sirius had taken the explanation for the rapid aging rather easily, because Time Sand was notorious for being unpredictable enough that ghosts were the only ones who could work with it.

Robin seemed to be more depressed than ever, though she kept up a front for Hermes' sake.

However Sirius had noted that she had been taking more missions of late. Recently she had been delegated to go to a secret base where they worked on the Tesseract.

"I'll be back before morning Hermes," said Robin.

Robin had Sirius teleport her son back and forth from Xavier's school. This was mostly because she didn't trust the magical community one bit, and she knew he would be understanding about the rapid aging issue.

Plus it meant Hermes could see his friends, who loved having him around.

Just because he was more god than human didn't mean the younger mutants didn't love having someone so normal in their midst who wasn't afraid of them. Hermes acted so blasé about their powers that they felt like normal kids.

It was actually a big part of the reason why Xavier agreed to have him in the classes with the other children.

Robin was both happy about the assignment...and deeply worried. Mostly because while Loki would be coming back from that void, he was also going to be under control of someone else. Someone who Hel worried about for trying to control her.

This would be her first view of her husband in many years. And he wouldn't even know who she was.

* * *

Loki landed from the portal near her, and she nearly broke down crying.

His gorgeous emerald eyes, almost the same hue as her own, were pale blue. He was being cruel for the sake of cruelty, which was something she had always hated.

Sure, she had a deep-seated grudge against the British magical society, but that was justified cruelty in the name of revenge for their betrayal.

She watched as he captured Barton and Selvig, among others, but completely passed her by.

A light of hope appeared in her chest as his eyes settled on her for the slightest moment too long, as if he was trying to remember her. He passed her by rather than attack, and stole the Tesseract from Fury as she helped him out of the crumbling room.

"Twilight, I'm reactivating the Avengers Initiative. Get Banner," said Fury.

"Yes sir!" said Robin with a mock salute.

She waited for a bit so she could collect Hermes. If anyone could keep Banner calm, it was a small child. She had noted that the Hulk was far less to come out if there were innocent children around, and he had never harmed one even when he was enraged.

She was surprised Fury had never picked up on that odd fact.

* * *

Banner didn't know what to think when the seven and a half year old girl turned into a little boy with neck-length black hair and the most brilliant emerald green eyes.

"Momma! I brought Mr. Green!" he yelled.

"Hermes, I told you, his name is Dr. Banner. The saner and less snarky version of Uncle Tony," said the woman calmly.

"I like Uncle Tony! He's funny!"

"He also thinks it's smart to give a child who has trouble not even ten arc-powered jet boosters for his birthday so he can learn how to fly on his own," she said flatly.

She didn't mind her son flying using technology Tony recently figured out how to shield from magic. She just didn't like the fact that her son had accidentally ruined her collection of books with the thrusters and proceeded to set their apartment on fire.

Tony never warned her son to fly _outside_, since the thrusters could set stuff on fire.

Needless to say she hexed him good for that incident and made him buy her new copies of her collection...some of which had been a real pain in the ass to find copies of. Pepper had only laughed at the way she got her revenge on Tony.

Sirius had gone into hiding the second Hermes set his tail on fire with the things...plus the noise was horrendous.

After that she had banned anything that could set her books on fire inside the place. Tony had quickly agreed to avoid another repeat.

Bruce Banner stared at her with wide eyes.

"You know who I am, correct?"

"Bruce Banner, designation Hulk. I know who and what you are. Tony won't shut up about your work," she grimaced.

"I hope for your sakes you don't plan to force the other guy out."

"Actually we just need your expertise in gamma radiation to locate an artifact. After that, I'm sure Tony will ignore your attempts to escape and kidnap you to work in his tower. According to him he needs someone who will understand what he's saying who is over the age of ten," said Robin.

"Who is Tony?"

"Tony Stark. The idiot is fascinated by your work and could care less about your...anger issues. Aside from being an ass, he is actually a decent person to be around."

"I don't have a choice do I?" asked Banner.

"You have a choice. Either deal with S.H.I.E.L.D for a few days until this mess is over with and be kidnapped by a bored billionaire with far too much time on his hands, or continue running and deal with someone far less likely to treat you like a human. They're really eager to get the silly thing back," said Robin deadpan.

"And why did you bring a child?" asked Banner.

"Insurance the other guy wouldn't show up. I've read your files Dr. Banner. The Other guy, as you call him, has never shown up when an innocent child could be hurt, and besides, Hermes has been dying to meet you."

Hermes blinked and immediately went up to Bruce, completely unafraid.

"He's not scared of me or the other guy?"

"I let him go to a school full of mutant children, and his godfather is a werewolf. Hermes knows that just because something looks frightening doesn't mean it is. He has nothing to fear from the Hulk, Dr. Banner."

"...Mutants are real?" said Banner. He had always believed them to be superstition.

Robin twitched. Once was a coincidence (forgivable, considering who it was) twice was becoming a pattern. Clearly most of the mutants had been found and picked up by either Xavier or the magical communities.

It was only because she came from the future that she knew of them at all.

"Yes, and they might be able to help you with your alter ego the same way they did Hermes' godfather who happens to be a very nice werewolf."

Bruce decided to go, and Hermes immediately convinced him to a piggyback ride.

* * *

"Hello Jean, Scott," said Robin.

"Hello Robin," said Scott.

It said a lot that they trusted her...mostly because she could care less about their powers and more about their loyalty.

Plus she occasionally worked at the school teaching those with the magical gene how to use it. It cut down on several accidents outside the school.

"So are the rumors true that you've located the Wolverine?"

"Wolverine?" said Scott.

"Much like Captain America, Wolverine has a unique gift that allows instant healing and what were originally bone claws. He volunteered for a rather painful procedure that grafted adamantium onto his bone structure."

"How do you know all this?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't the only one with hackers, and Stryker was foolish enough to put his database on the web. People should really keep their important files on closed circuits," said Robin pleasantly.

She noticed Jean was blinking rapidly.

"Headaches again?" she guessed.

"My psychic power has been acting up a lot," admitted Jean.

Robin grinned.

"Why don't you join me in the mess hall and we'll see about erecting some decent shields..."

Years of boredom and a lot of free time on her hands while Hermes was off causing chaos with his uncles had allowed her to expand her magical knowledge. And a DNA test done by SHIELD actually proved Jean Gray was her cousin on her mother's side.

They were just many, many times removed.

Jean concentrated on bringing up shields in her mind to block the signals she was getting from everyone on the carrier while Robin coached her through it using Legilmency. Basically she was making a reverse Occulmency barrier.

Scott was off somewhere else reading.

Jean's sigh of relief when the voices shut off was audible. Finally, the only voice in her head was her own.

"You still have my number, right? If the shields start to act up, call me and I'll be right over to help you rebuild them," said Robin.

* * *

"Hello Tony," said Robin amused.

"How is it you keep beating me here?"

"I was already here. Hermes is currently chatting up Dr. Banner," grinned Robin.

"You took Hermes with you?"

"Of course I did. What better way to keep the Hulk quiet than to bring a child?"

"I'll never understand why you let your son near dangerous animals," said Tony.

"Shapeshifter Tony. Most animals that can't stand humans leave the younger of their species alone. And considering who Hermes' father is, shapeshifting is in his blood," smirked Robin.

"And yet we have never even seen a picture of the mystery man," said Tony. He would almost suspect she had made the man up if it hadn't been for the ring and kid.

"Like I told you a long time ago, Time Sand split us apart. It was simply easier to let the timeline catch up to where I left."

_'Besides,'_ she thought to herself, _'You'll meet him soon enough.'_

* * *

"You're heading for Loki, right? Count me in," said Robin suddenly. Natasha said nothing, but she moved over so Robin could take the controls.

During Robin's large amount of free time, she spent hours on simulators and even had a pilot's license. Which meant she could fly almost anything she wanted.

"Girl time later?" suggested Natasha suddenly.

"Small talk?" said Robin, taking a wild guess why the assassin would bring up the idea. Though a girl's night out did sound like it would be fun. She could bring Jean and Aurora with them and make it a party.

"So how is it you have so much time on your hands?" asked Natasha on the way to Germany.

"I leave Hermes at Xavier's school, help Pepper out for an hour or two, and a few spells do all the cleaning. And I'm not counting the hours during the night, when a quick spell keeps me up for several hours. I get really bored."

Natasha blinked.

"And Stark didn't have a problem with you taking the day off to get your license?"

"I'm a spare personal assistant since Pepper got upgraded. The most I do is insure that the paperwork doesn't get back logged because Tony can't be bothered with it," shrugged Robin.

"And he doesn't mind that you also act as a go between for Fury?"

"He knows I won't sell him out to Nicky. Besides, I'm the one who introduced him to Black," said Robin smugly.

And boy, were they still paying for that. Until she could dump him with the others off-world, they were stuck with Tony and his overactive imagination and genius and the biggest prankster to ever graduate Hogwarts in history.

Pepper had at least managed to get him to stop it around her by telling him he would sleep on the couch for a week (one for each prank conceived by him and Black) if he did it again. Robin was only spared because, well she booby trapped her door with a spray-potion that would turn them into girls for a week. The fact she had to keep replacing it didn't bother her that much.

Plus the fact she was already female and her son could shape shift without even blinking twice about it didn't hurt either.

The son of Loki wasn't going to be bothered about a little thing like gender differences.

Robin barely resisted the urge to bang her head against the console. Only Tony would have _"Shoot to Thrill" _by ACDC playing in their jet.

"Not on my watch!" growled Robin. She immediately brought out her IPod and put another song in.

Tony stumbled (so did Steve Rogers) when Weird Al Yankovich's _"Dare to Be Stupid" _started playing instead. Natasha couldn't help it, she started laughing.

"What? I like the classic movies better than the new ones," said Robin innocently.

Loki didn't know whether to be amused or confused by that.

* * *

Robin took one look at the thunderstorm outside and growled.

"Great, blondie decided to make an appearance finally."

"Who?" said Rogers.

"Thor, the god of being an ass," said Robin.

"What do you have against Thor?" asked Natasha.

"Dumbass has a habit of frying songbirds when he's really hungover," explained Robin.

"How do you know about that?" said Loki suddenly. He wasn't aware his brother's habit had made it as far as Earth.

"Long story," said Robin, though she was pleased to note Loki's eyes turned emerald green briefly when he took an interest.

There was a low thud on top of the plane, and Loki was abruptly grabbed from the door.

"ANYONE WANT TO GO AFTER THE IDIOT?!" shouted Robin.

Stark took the hint and dove outside, flying after Thor.

"I wouldn't follow them Captain, those two are basically gods."

"They aren't gods. Besides, his iridium shield can reflect Thor's lightning and it won't dent from his hammer. He's safer than Stark is," said Robin,

Rogers jumped out of the plane with a chute, and Robin went to find a place to land temporarily so they could reload Loki in. By the time she found a spot, the boys were already on their way back.


	6. Chapter 6

_**(A quick Omake to get things started!)**_

"Okay, will someone explain why I just saw Loki yelling about turning off the music?" asked Fury.

Robin snickered evilly.

"He will learn to fear the Otaku..." she said.

"What did you do to him?" asked Thor. He hadn't seen Loki so happy to see him since...well, ever. (Thor fried the speaker systems.)

"Let me put it this way...I have a seven year old son and his favorite show at the moment involves a singing purple dinosaur," said Robin smugly.

"Oh dear lord, you didn't..." said Stark.

"It's the song that never ends my friends!" cackled Robin. Stark face-palmed.

"She outdid us. Damn!"

Thor just looked thoroughly confused.

"Tony bet me earlier that I couldn't out prank him and my godfather. So I put the song that Barney sings on a loop and left it on in Loki's cell," said Robin.

"She just pranked the god of mischief. How the hell am I supposed to top that?!" complained Stark.

Thor looked absolutely confused by this point.

Natasha took pity on him and Rogers.

"Stark and Robin have been in a prank war for at least a week, and so far nothing he's come up with has been able to match her ideas. Hopefully this will wrap up soon, so we can all quit double checking the coffee," explained Natasha.

It was an unspoken truth that most government agencies or other official groups that employed large amounts of agents ran on caffeine. Therefore the coffee maker was considered a sacred artifact due to the amount of paperwork/reports that had to be filled out to get anything done.

Most of the agents weren't too happy when Robin switched the coffee with it's horrible decaf variant, then proceeded to put espresso in the machine until they finally managed to get it back to normal.

It also didn't help that Robin never drank coffee, only strong teas. (If she needed to stay awake, a few spells worked just as well.)

Needless to say everyone on the helicarrier would be happy when the prank war was over.

* * *

_**(I had to get that out of my system.)**_

Robin landed the jet with ease and went to get something to eat. She had just spent the last hour hearing Tony complain about her choice of song, and she had a migraine.

She was almost finished with her sandwich when a black-haired bomb tackled her.

"Momma!"

She looked for the culprit and found Storm nearby.

"You do realize there is a demi-god on board who would probably love to hear about your powers over the weather," said Robin.

Storm took the advice to heart and went to find Thor in hopes for advice on her lightning attacks. In the meantime she was going to annoy Loki.

* * *

(Consider this after the odd omake at the start...)

Loki stared at the odd child in the cell with him. The boy stared back.

"Why on earth would your mother leave you with someone who can kill you?" he asked finally.

"She does this a lot. She says that just because people or creatures have deadly powers doesn't make them a thing to be feared," shrugged Hermes.

"So what now?"

"Pranks? Momma said you got sparky to wear a wedding dress once," said Hermes hopefully.

"They still tell that story?" chuckled Loki.

Hermes nodded.

* * *

"Who left Hermes in the cell with Loki?!" shouted Fury.

"I did. Loki won't harm him, not that he could even if he is being controlled at the moment," said Robin.

"Controlled?" said Thor.

"Loki's natural eye color is only a few shades darker than mine, yet around people they have turned blue. As cruel as he can be, he isn't normally a complete ass like he was earlier. He probably made a deal with someone in order to get out of the dimensional void Thor dropped him in," said Robin.

"I didn't drop him! He let go of the staff!" protested Thor, before a thought occurred to him, "How do you know about that anyway?"

She looked at Thor and said bluntly "Time Sand. Some moron threw enough on me to send me five years in the past. Hermes was affected worse than me."

"I thought mortals quit using that after what happened last time?" said Thor to himself.

"What happened last time?" asked Robin.

"Something about a lot of boats going missing..." said Thor.

"Never mind that, how do you know Loki won't harm Hermes?" said Tony. He viewed the kid like his nephew.

"All I'll say is that he can't harm someone of his own bloodline. We have more important things to do, like finding who has that damn cube now," she said.

Her tone alone said that she would consider no more questions on the matter.

They reluctantly dropped the subject, though the question of why Loki wouldn't harm Hermes was still there.

* * *

Loki stared at the child, wondering why he felt so familiar.

Hermes was sitting outside the cell, reading a book.

"Who are you?"

"Hermes, son of the Norse goddess of rebirth Robin. Known shapeshifter and magical."

"There is no goddess of rebirth," said Loki.

"That's because it was only made official recently. Originally she was the Mistress of Death and Hel's Avatar in the mortal realms, until she married a god."

"Which one?" asked Loki.

"You'll find out in two or three years. At least that's what mom said."

"How old are you?" asked Loki. The boy's aura didn't match with his body.

"Physically? About seven or eight. My mother was hit by time sand when she was five months pregnant with me, and I apparently absorbed some of the magic, resulting in accelerated aging. It only stopped a couple of months ago. I'm really more like four or five years old, even if I look twice that."

"If your mother is a goddess of the Norse pantheon, then why are you named after a Greek?" asked Loki.

As far as he knew, Hermes was the name of the Greek god of thieves and messengers.

"Because Hermes is a notorious prankster, and it would be too confusing to name me after my father. Uncle Sirius asked the same thing when she told him," said Hermes, still reading his comic book.

Robin came clean about his parentage, specifically that he was the son of Loki, the notorious prankster god of the Norse Pantheon. Ever since then he had been fascinated with anything to do with Loki, even if it was clearly fiction. The book he was reading was a series called _Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok, _in which Loki was de-aged and forced to find pieces of darkness in order to return to Asgard. He was aided by his second son, Midgardsomr, and later his first born Fenrir. His rather hapless assistant Mayura loved the supernatural but had no idea as to her 'boss' being a god.

Robin walked in before Loki could ask Hermes who his father was, as her son had been taught never to lie unless you were planning a prank.

As Sirius once said, "There is a time and place for the truth for any prankster. That time is never, and that place does _not_ exist."

Tony, when he heard those infamous words, had them immortalized and put on a plaque in his office.

"Hermes, why don't you go annoy Sparky," said Robin.

"Why?"

"Because he has yet to figure out who you are, despite the fact you've been going around without changing your original form," said Robin.

"Is it for a prank?"

"Yes. I want to see how long it takes him to figure it out," said Robin.

"Can I make fun of him after reading my book?"

"You can pretend he's Narukami," replied Robin.

"Yippee!"

"Don't forget, the thrusters Uncle Tony made you are in the room with Dr. Banner!"

"I'm off to annoy a god!" shouted Hermes.

Robin rarely gave him permission to play with his thrusters.

Loki looked at the evil woman who had left that horrid song on the speakers for over two hours.

"Why did you leave that song on a loop?" he finally asked.

"Prank war with two idiots. So far I have boobytrapped the coffee machine, dodged their feeble attempts to dump potions and foul things on my from over my bedroom, and have managed to turn most of their tricks back on them. Pranking a god known for being a trickster is something they'll be hard-put to outdo," she explained.

Besides, it gave Thor an opening for him to mend bridges with Loki later.

* * *

Hermes was curled up next to his mother, who was taking a nap. She knew what was coming and that they would be needed in a few hours. An explosion rocked the helicarrier, and they were nearly thrown to the floor by the blast.

Robin carefully placed her son in the hammock she had set up earlier. It would allow him to sleep without worrying of falling out of the bed. She then made her way down to where Loki was to prevent Phil's death.

She liked Phil Coulson, to a point. His dry wit amused her.

She got there in time to grab Coulson and keep Loki from impaling him. Coulson fired at Loki, blasting him through the wall. Meanwhile Robin was trying to keep her balance as she waited for Tony to bring the engine back online.

Robin was on the plan with the others, having brought out her sword and sharpening it.

Because she was present in New York at the same time her past self was, she would need something that would counteract being in two places at once.

Which was why the moment she stepped foot in the city she was claiming her armor that was commissioned by Odin the moment her status as a new Aesir was official.

It would be the first time she had been able to wear it, and they had her measurements so it should fit perfectly.

* * *

Hermes was with Fury, who had reluctantly agreed to watch him as three of the X-Men had decided to join the group in protecting New York.

Robin had the idea of using this time as a publicity stunt to help Xavier's pro-mutant agenda and proving that not all mutants were evil.

She turned into her phoenix form and landed somewhere on Stark Tower near where the machine was.

She raised her sword (given to her by Odin as a wedding present) and declared in a firm, clear voice "I am Robin Jamesdaughter, and I claim my right as the new Goddess of Rebirth and Hel's Avatar to the Mortal Realm. Let me be clothed in my armor so that I may smite my enemies in the All-Father's name!"

There was a crackle of underworld fire as her clothes changed drastically.

She was no longer in blue jeans and a simple tee shirt, but a black dress that was made for movement. She had a silver breastplate hemmed with gold, and a belt made of circles with lapis lazuli inside them. Around her shoulders was a black-fur lined coat that was made of gold thread. On her forehead was a circlet made of diamond that protected her from anyone who dared to control her mind. Holding her hair up in a long pony tail was a crown, signifying that she was the current wife of Loki, though he had no idea of it just yet. (Since Loki had never been taken out of the line of succession, she was considered a princess by marriage, though most Æsir never called her that.)

Robin had become a true Æsir, meaning that her presence wouldn't affect her past self if she came across her.

She planned to lead Loki on a merry chase until they reached the building where his blast knocked loose the chunk that killed Draco.

Robin enjoyed the look of shock Thor gave her when she cut the Chitauri in half with the sword. He clearly recognized Asgardian forged weaponry, and wondered where she got it. Her armor drew some looks from the Avengers as well.

She was having entirely too much fun shooting ice at the invading army.

She spotted Loki flying around and grinned evilly. Once she was in her Twilight form, she flew up and started singing the tune to Barney's infamous song. Loki snarled, and immediately started firing at her while he chased her around the city.

Twilight flew close enough to a certain building that Loki clipped it with his blast, sending a good sized chunk of stone and mortar to the ground below.

On the sidewalk, one malnourished Robin Black watched dispassionately as her 'husband' Draco was killed by falling debris. She made her way to the nearest shower and waited for the time her 'sponsor' Hel had told her to escape Earth, unaware that her future self had killed Draco.

Robin lead Loki on a merry chase around the city, keeping him distracted until she landed on the parapet of Stark Tower. There Loki stood inside only to be beaten severely by the Hulk, who was less than amused with him.

Robin turned back into her human form and looked at Loki laying in the crater the Hulk had left him in.

"Who are you?" asked Loki, wincing in pain.

"Robin Jamesdaughter. Newly minted Goddess of Rebirth and current Avatar of Hel in the mortal realms. Also the wife of an Æsir, though in order to preserve the timeline I cannot say which at the moment," she replied pleasantly.

"You've lived through this before," said Loki.

"I am from the future, and your invasion fails spectacularly. You are sentenced to Asgard for almost two years before you return, where you help someone activate the Purge of magic in response to a certain event. This person will understand you better than most, and you will save them from themselves. Once that happens, you will be free," said Robin.

"And the boy?" asked Loki. He had an idea of what was going on, and who this woman really was.

"Raised away from his father and true family because of foolish mortals playing with time. In a few years he will be able to meet his father face-to-face," said Robin.

"How long will I be in pain?"

"After this beating? About an hour or so once the machine is dealt with. At the moment I'm waiting for Tony to send that errant missile through the portal and destroy the Chitauri on Earth. You'll be back on Asgard in a week, and you'll be quite entertained by a songbird that refuses to die," said Robin cheerfully.

"A songbird that just won't die?" said Loki, perking up. That would be fun to watch.

"One that can hit just the right note to make anyone who's hungover in a great deal of pain," answered Robin.

Suddenly Loki didn't mind losing, if it meant watching Thor in a great deal of pain because he had gotten drunk and his most hated enemy was around.

Thor was not a morning person.


	7. Chapter 7

Robin, in an effort to keep Thor from spilling the beans too early, decided to stick around Xavier's school for a bit with Hermes so that Loki could properly fall for her past self.

She had noted that since she had taken up the mantle as the Æsir goddess of Rebirth and Hel's Avatar among the mortals while her past self was recovering, she had more power. A lot more power. Her naturally long life span as a powerful witch (the more power, the longer they lived) had multiplied by ten at least, if not more. She could cast wandlessly like it was nothing, and she could now go to Hel's realm with a thought, instead of having to meditate for ten minutes.

The Professor didn't mind letting her stay at the mansion, as she tended to mother some of the more damaged children.

As a child from an abusive home, she was able to reach those who had been hurt the most by their families who had trouble handling the news that their children were mutants better than most.

Xavier suspected she might be one of the few people able to reach his old friend, Eric Lencher.

* * *

Robin was in the room as Jean gave her speech on mutation. To her amusement, she was right next to one of the most powerful and anti-human mutants alive, Magneto.

However the drivel Senator Kelly spieled out was too much for her to take.

"What a load of bollocks," she said loudly.

Her voice was loud enough to catch the attention of those below, and quite a few turned to look in her direction.

"Here I thought you Americans had at least _learned_ from your past mistakes, or have none of you learned from history?"

"Young lady, if you have something to say..." said Kelly irritated she had interrupted his spiel against mutants.

"Oh I have something to say alright, you arrogant neo-Nazi racist bastard," she shot back.

That really set off the good senator.

"Excuse me?!"

"How is that tripe you're spewing about mutants any different than what Hitler pulled with his Nazi regime before World War Two? And here I thought you Americans had learned not to piss off the minority groups," she said annoyed.

Seeing she had everyone's attention now, she decided to go on a roll and point out flaws in his so called Mutant Registration Bill and knock his approval ratings down the toilet.

"Fact one: shortly before taking over Germany Hitler and his group known as Nazis forced those who practiced the Jewish faith to place the Star of David on their clothes to identify themselves to the Nazi party. Fact two: the last time Americans tried to suppress a minority group it ended up with thousands dead and a civil war happened. Fact three: mutants, while possessing powers that we have yet to fully understand, are considered the minority compared to the amount of those without powers and should by all rights be given the same protection that other minority groups are given by the US government. Fact four: last time I checked, persecuting a minority group was considered racism and is illegal in all states. So tell me, how is calling you a neo-Nazi racist inaccurate?" she drawled.

She could sense Magneto's amusement at her little speech, mostly because she was entirely correct that what Senator Kelly was trying to do was technically illegal by US standards. Senator Kelly was quite shocked someone had just insulted him on public TV and was defending mutants in the same breath...and would likely get away with it because not one single bit of it could technically be called slander due to her reasoning.

She could also sense Xavier's shock rolling off him in waves, as clearly he hadn't considered telling Jean to point out the logical flaws in Senator Kelly's little bill.

Robin was just enjoying the fact that an arrogant prick who could care less about others was currently turning a shade of red she had last seen on the face of one Vernon Dursley and she was the cause of it.

* * *

Once the presentation was over and she had escaped the media with ease, she walked up to Eric Lencher with an amused glint in her eyes..

"It was a nice sentiment, but it would take more than words for humanity to accept the fact that mutants are here to stay. Though knocking that arrogant wanker down several pegs was fun."

"You sound like you have experience," said Eric.

"Far too much. I may not be a mutant, but I am a witch. We used to be the ones who suffered from humanities inability to handle those who are different from the norm before we went into hiding and started erasing the memory that we are still here," she said.

Eric knew about the magical communities, but he wasn't a big fan of them. They had tried to erase his memories one time too many for him to accept them.

"The normal humans will need something to shake their belief that they are alone in this world, and mutants are too new for that to work," said Robin.

"Oh?"

"In a few short years, there will be a massive upheaval in the world as the boundaries between the magically inclined and humanity come crashing down around their arrogant minds. The result will give Mutants all the opening they will ever need to redraw the lines between those with powers and those without."

"You sound very knowledgeable. How do you know about this?" asked Eric. Something about this witch put him at ease, and he knew it wasn't a spell.

"Let's just say that you aren't the only one who has lost their parents to war and forced to become a weapon against your will. Perhaps we should discuss this over drinks?"

Magneto noticed the wedding band on her right hand, and correctly assumed she wasn't interested in seducing him.

"I suppose that wouldn't hurt," he admitted. This woman was far too interesting to pass up a harmless drink.

Xavier watched the exchange from a distance, as Robin had allowed him to listen in from afar.

* * *

Magneto met the woman known as Robin Black in a quaint tea shop near a construction site. There was so much metal nearby that he could kill her within minutes if he had to.

Looking at this Robin, it was clear she knew his power and chose this setting in order to make him fell more at ease. Beside him was Mystique.

"Greetings Mystique. I must say I find your use of such a rare magical gift fascinating," said Robin pleasantly.

The female mutant blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"Your mutant ability, that of perfect transformation into anyone, down to the voice, is actually a manifestation of a rare magical ability called Metamorphamagi. I have a cousin, one Nymphadora Tonks, who can do the same, but she is quite clumsy. Your mastery of the ability is both impressive and inspiring. Your ease at mimicry suggests that you are a natural actress as well," explained Robin.

That threw both mutants for a loop. They had been unaware that there were others with Mystique's particular gift.

"If you like, I can try to bring Tonks here so you can talk to her. I know how rare it is to find another with the same gift," said Robin.

To Magneto's surprise, Mystique smiled, genuinely at that.

"I would enjoy that," she replied.

"I am curious, Mrs. Black, as to why we feel so at ease around you. Generally I cannot stand magicals and barely tolerate mundanes at the best of times," said Eric.

"That is because like you, I was forced to become a weapon as a child because of a power I didn't understand, and I was branded," she said calmly. She carefully moved her bangs back to reveal a faded scar in the shape of a lightning bolt.

"This scar is both my destiny and my curse. When I was a year and a half old, a madman by the name of Voldemort came to my house and made me an orphan. I spent ten years being abused and hated by my own flesh and blood, and six more years after that being molded into a weapon by a senile old man named Albus Dumbledore. At eighteen I was forced to 'marry' someone who happened to be my third cousin once removed, in order to keep the blood 'pure'. Last month I helped my past self escape that loveless marriage to find someone who could care for her and give her another chance at actually living. In three years I will be hit by an artifact known as time sand and sent into the past."

Magneto and Mystique were silent through this explanation.

"I would have thought that you couldn't be in two places at once," said Eric.

"In the future, I marry the same god who tried to destroy New York out of misguided rage. Loki set me free from my bindings, and though my bond to him by love, I was made the new goddess of Rebirth and the Avatar of Death. Because I was not considered human by most definitions of the word, I was able to free my past self long enough for her to escape."

Magneto and Mystique relaxed around Robin, who despite being a witch was easy to talk to. While they had different views on magical/mutant/mundanes, they all had similar agreements towards fools who thought anyone who had unique powers should be registered like a monster should be killed. Violently.

Unlike Xavier, Robin held no delusions about humanity. There were some people who would never be won over, and until they were the minority and not the majority, those with powers and those without would never coexist.

Having a pleasant conversation with a witch/goddess was enjoyable enough that they set up regular meetings to simply chat.

Even megalomaniacs needed a break from being evil every once in a while.

And Robin knew Tonks would love talking to Mystique, who was quite possibly the only mundane-born/mutant witch who had the same shapeshifting ability she had.

* * *

"How did your tea time go?" asked Xavier.

"Well enough. I'll be taking Hermes with me next time. Eric said hello by the way," she said pleasantly.

Xavier nodded.

"I had the feeling you would be good for Eric to interact with. There is something about you that puts even the most broken person at ease."

"That's because I was broken, for a very long time. It takes someone who has battled the darkness and survived to understand others with the same problem. Yet another reason why I let Hermes learn alongside those with unusual powers. The more exposure he has with those who aren't fully human, the less likely he is to discriminate."

"If only more had that opinion," said Xavier.

"More will, but right now isn't the time. In a few years the Purge will be brought to the Earth, and walls will come crashing down. Mutants will be able to gain some support by joining sides with the magicals who will be out of their league in a world they never fully understood."

"Why is the Purge coming? From what I heard from Strange, it shouldn't happen for another hundred years," asked Xavier.

"Long story short, the British magical community did something to really piss me off, and they needed the wake up call. I couldn't exactly have the Purge happen on only one continent, so I was given the go-ahead by Odin to start it off early. The end result will be that in a few generations the magic will return. But in the meantime, the magical communities will have to grow up a little," said Robin flatly.

"What could they possibly do to anger someone as even-tempered as you?"

"They bound me, tried to break me because I refused to follow their foolish lies, and then when it became clear that I wouldn't be their new 'savior' and pretend that their inbreeding was okay, they tried to kill me. They turned me into a living weapon just because a madman with a penchant for 'blood purity' was too strong for them. They ruined everything about my childhood that could be considered good. All I have left...is Hermes."

Xavier couldn't help but feel a small flicker of relief when he heard that last bit. At least she acknowledged that her son was the good part in her life.

* * *

Marie was a rather unusual mutant, and one who was quickly a fan of her new magic teacher, who discovered that she had a rare magical disorder that for some reason had become tied with her mutant blood. Fortunately Robin had a solution that quickly became her best defense against her strong and very dangerous mutant power.

The impervius charm, originally created to make things water proof, also worked surprisingly well at protecting others from her power to drain people and use their characteristics after. Robin cast it on her every morning and Marie was determined to become a master at casting it wandlessly.

So far it had prevented ten separate incidents when she touched people by accident. Robin didn't know if it would worked if she had any...intimate...relations with a boy, and had told her not to experiment until they found a way to keep her mutant ability under control.

In short, no going all the way with a guy until her power stabilized or they found a way to keep her partner from being killed.

Still, Robin Black was a mentor to most of the mutants in the school, and her door was open at all times of the day.

Quite a few of the more...abused...kids went to her for nightmares, and came out either with something to cope with them, usually a dreamless sleep potion, or they stayed in her room for a minor sleepover.

Hermes didn't have any issues with it, as he was considered the kid brother by practically the entire school.

Meanwhile, in between her magic classes, she was helping the Wolverine coax some forgotten memories out of his brain.

To date, she had helped him remember how to speak Japanese, the fact he was older than Xavier (way older...), and that he had magic, which had been repressed since he was young and tied into his healing factor.

The only reason he put up with her was because she had the only supply of liquor for ten miles, and she hid it from the kiddies. That and she had no issue with him smoking her in room...a simple air circulation spell and a few candles got rid of the smell. That and she usually had a the bubble-head charm on anyone else in the room.

So yes, he gravitated to her as the only adult he could get along with other than Jean.

* * *

It was her bi-monthly tea chats with 'Magneto' and 'Mystique', both of whom rather enjoyed these chats as Robin most definitely had a similar view of people they did. Tonks, when Robin had sat her down and explained what a mutant was and what Mystique could do, had introduced the two during one of the chats.

If Ms. Say-my-first-name-and-be-hexed-horribly could learn to get rid of her klutziness, well that was only a good thing right? The mutant and metamorph really hit it off while Magneto tried to corrupt Hermes against humanity as a whole, only to be shot down by Robin's actual view on humans.

Magneto thought they should be wiped out, Robin just thought the collect whole was a pack of complete morons, and once her 'self-imposed' exile was over with, she was staying on Asgard for a long while.

At least there she could pound anyone who pissed her off with a sword until they either shut up or didn't express such monumental stupidity around her again.

Considering Magneto agreed that the collective majority of people on Earth were sheeple (her favorite term for those like the magical communities) and that it was damn near impossible to find anyone with a lick of common sense, it was only natural that they tended to gravitated towards each other to chat, if only to rant about the complete idiocy of the mutant registration laws.

There was also the fact Robin had given him an unabridged version of her life, and he had realized why she was able to connect with so many mutants.


End file.
